INTERNATIONAL fundraisers, organised by Ból Chumann ladies committee, had a four-score clár at Castletownkenneigh on Saturday.
Mixed doubles were the order of the day in the feature scores with the majority of those participating already selected on teams bound for Germany. First away was the clash of Martin Coppinger who combined with Hannah Cronin against Gary Daly and Ciara Buckley of North and North-East regions respectively.
With a total of €2,160 at issue and with the new start line at the ‘bridge’ in operation, it was Daly/Buckley who had the early lead, forging 30 metres ahead after two. That early dominance wasn’t maintained and three in succession of the poor variety had them on the back foot to the tune of 70 metres. While Coppinger was instrumental in getting his side in front, he missed a chance to consolidate when his effort past the ’old pub’ went right. Player of the Year Ciara Buckley hit a good cast to the ‘double gates’ and the north/north-east duo led briefly again on the way to ‘forsion’s cross.
Hannah Cronin, who was consistent all through, fired a great effort to regain the lead for her partnership. Martin Coppinger, with his 16th, hit a good loft and it rose a bowl of odds when Ciara’s effort went right. The upshot was a bowl of odds victory for the West Cork duo.
A return double saw Jim Coffey and Tom Reaney combine to defeat Kevin Coughlan and Ronan Hoey by almost three bowls for €2,800.
Tommy O’Sullivan and Veronica O’Mahony took on Tim Young and Geraldine Curtin in the second of the mixed doubles shoot-outs at Castletownkenneigh and it was very even for the opening third. The lead exchanged several times with Young/Curtin holding a five-metre advantage at the novice line. The score changed dramatically in the shots away from the bend at ‘O’Leary’s’ and it was O’Sullivan’s power-play which was instrumental in turning it in his side's favour. From a more or less even contest, O’Sullivan’s bullet-like cast to the double bends rose a bowl of odds and with Veronica O’Mahony in fine form also, a second shot of odds soon came between them. There was no way back for Young/Curtin after that explosive sequence. They played for a total of €2,900.
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West Cork’s championships had a big early-season clash when Eoin Hurley (Drinagh), brother of Paudie Palmer Youth Award winner Emma, took on strong contender Eoin Murray, Togher Cross, in the C grade at Drimoleague on Saturday. The weather conditions may have been far from benign, but this was a score filled with an abundance of unexpected twists and turns, creating a rollercoaster of excitement and unpredictability.
Playing into the village, Murray, a contender in novice B up to recently, started in a blaze with two exceptional opening shots and, with Hurley struggling at that early stage, the margin in favour of the Togher cross man was over two bowls of odds.
It looked an enviable task for the Drinagh man, but he was aided when a collapse in form from Murray in the next exchanges saw the gap close. With the margin halved, Hurley upped his game with a fine cast towards to no-play lines and, incredibly, found himself level as Murray’s travails continued. Both were at their best in good bowling away from the lines before Murray took a stranglehold again with a splendid cast around the bridge. More errors and another rally from Hurley had them level once more with three to go. The Drinagh man had the better of those fraught closing exchanges and eventually took the spoils and a place in the second round by a good fore bowl. They played for a €2,100 total.
Sunday’s scores at Drimoleague were cancelled as were championship scores at Drinagh, Durrus and Togher Cross. All scores will be re-fixed and will slot in alongside already scheduled fixtures on an extensive January/February programme issued by regional secretary Paudie Hurley.
